The idea seemed to come out of a science fiction film: a floating platform on the Seine to accommodate the first “flying taxis” in Paris. But this project, supported by the government and carried out by Groupe ADP with the German company Volocopter, encountered numerous obstacles. The latest one? The decision of the Council of State to cancel the authorization given this summer.
The Austerlitz vertiport nailed to the ground
Why such a blockage? In question, a missing consultation. The law requires you to contact the Air Nuisance Control Authority (Acnusa) before launching this type of experiment. This point was raised by opponents such as the City of Paris and several associations, including the UFCNA, who have been fighting against the project for months. Dan Lert, deputy mayor in charge of ecology, did not hide his satisfaction: “ This project was an ecological aberration for the benefit of the ultra-rich “, he told the Parisian.
This decision is not surprising. Already in November, the Île-de-France Region had withdrawn a subsidy of one million euros allocated to the experiment, due to lack of concrete progress. Flying taxis, although praised for their silence and low environmental impact, are clearly not unanimously accepted.
As for Groupe ADP, we are putting things into perspective. “ The decision of the Council of State does not call into question the project on the merits, but only on a procedural question », Explains the manager of Paris airports. In short: this is just a setback. According to them, the Parisian vertiport was doomed to disappear at the end of December anyway, with the experiment coming to an end.
Flying taxis are therefore not completely out of the game. In the Paris region, four other vertiports are already ready to accommodate these futuristic machines, notably in Roissy, Le Bourget, and Saint-Cyr-l’École. ADP is banking on the long term, affirming that these devices could revolutionize carbon-free air mobility. Their use would not be limited to wealthy users, but could extend to health missions, such as the transport of organs.
Even the Île-de-France Region is keeping an eye on this issue. “ These machines are more environmentally friendly than helicopters and could create thousands of jobs », Defends Alexandra Dublanche, regional vice-president. However, no new Parisian project is on the agenda, and opponents remain vigilant.
The dream of seeing flying taxis flying over the capital is therefore suspended, but not abandoned. It will still take many administrative, technical and political battles before we know if this mode of transport will one day take off.
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